[chbot] Meeting notes : Robotics Group meeting, Monday 16th Apr 2018, 6:30pm, 5 Idris Road

[Mark Atherton]

Hello everyone,

Enthusiastic turnout with 22 attendees, and lots of huddles-of 
tech-talk. $32 + change (in gold, and flat-money) collected and 
transferred into the robotics loose-change jar (for later banking).

Quick reminder: equipment donations are welcome for the trading table, 
but no CRT based product, printers, toner or items that are likely to be 
a disposal burden. All sales from the trading table should go into the 
brown box on the wall, and are directly for the benefit of our host 
club, NZART Branch 05.

With thanks on behalf of the group,

Mark Atherton

============

Excellent pile of unexpected goodies turned up, including a huge pile of 
PVC covered copper cable – thank you.

Charles talked about his experiences with his 80W laser cutter. Latest 
project included a 3D printed enclosure with blind tapped holes, this 
assembly was then filled with concrete as ballast. Other experiments 
include a mix of laser cut MDF, with tight-fitting 3D printed corner 
pieces.

Darran talked about a marathon Windows 10 upgrade, and associated 
multiple-nightmares.

Rudy talked a little about the bitcoin block-chain, and his attempts to 
move currency around. This was all rather scary.

Synco talked about a solar powered switched-mode Li Ion charger based on 
some of the parts donated from Trimble. His solar powered aircraft has 
grown some ‘winglets’ which have been populated with extra solar-cells. 
This new feature adds a whole new twist to the navigation problem. We 
also heard of some of his trials and tribulations selling product into 
the academic marketplace. All very interesting…